A British Airways Airbus A350 lost a main landing-gear wheel during takeoff from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas while departing for London Heathrow (LHR). The flight to LHR was not diverted, and the aircraft continued its journey. It landed safely in the United Kingdom.

According to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24.com, the widebody aircraft has not operated any further flights since the January 26, 2026, incident. According to British Airways, the airline is supporting the authorities in their investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

A Closer Look Into The Wheel Loss

On January 26, 2026, the British Airways Airbus A350-1000, registered G-XWBN, was operating flight BA274 from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) when a wheel from the aircraft’s main landing gear detached just minutes after takeoff. Video footage captured the moment the wheel fell off as the main landing gear was being retracted.

The Airbus A350-1000 is equipped with 14 wheels in total: a two-wheel nose landing gear and two six-wheel main landing-gear bogies, one on each side, for a total of 12 main wheels. This six-wheel main-gear configuration is one of the key features that distinguishes the A350-1000 from the A350-900, which uses four-wheel main bogies. In an emailed statement to Simple Flying, a British Airways spokesperson said:

“Safety and security underpins everything we do and we’re supporting the authorities with their investigations.”

More About The Widebody Aircraft

According to ch-aviation data, the British Airways Airbus A350-1000, registered as G-XWBN, is a 2.7-year-old widebody, capable of accommodating a total of 331 passengers in a three-class cabin layout: 56 in business class, 56 in premium economy, and 219 in economy class.

As of November 30, 2025, the widebody aircraft in question had accumulated 12,167 flight hours and 1,369 flight cycles. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. The British flag carrier currently operates 18 A350-1000s, with an average fleet age of 4.5 years.

Looking ahead, the airline is expecting delivery of six additional A350-1000s. British Airways does not operate the A350-900, and its remaining widebody fleet, apart from its 12 Airbus A380 double-deckers, is entirely Boeing-manufactured. The airline operates 59 Boeing 777s and 42 Boeing 787 Dreamliners across all three variants.

Incidents Of A Similar Nature

Although rare, incidents like this do occur from time to time. A similar event took place in 2024, when a United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER lost a tire during takeoff from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The aircraft, which had been scheduled to fly to Osaka, Japan, diverted to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) shortly after the wheel separation and landed safely at LAX.

However, the detached tire caused significant damage on the ground, destroying an airport worker’s car. More than four months after the incident, the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) employee affected by the accident reported that they still had no vehicle to drive, as their car had been totaled by the falling tire. She, who spoke to ABC 7 Bay Area, recalled feeling shocked when she discovered her car had been destroyed. She said that “the worst thing that I thought could happen was my car getting broken into. I didn’t think a scenario like that would even happen there. »

Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the tire did not just damage the woman’s car. Gary Glass, a witness, saw the tire bouncing across the parking lot, according to ABC 7 Bay Area: “I look up, and it’s a tire spinning at a rapid speed. » The incident was part of a string of safety-related mishaps that subsequently prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase oversight of the carrier’s practices.